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39 million deaths by 2050 due to antibiotic resistance

Antibiotic resistance could cause 39 million deaths by 2050, warns a study from The Lancet. Those over 70 are the most affected....
Author: Patricia Alegsa
17-09-2024 19:57







  1. The Silent Crisis of Antimicrobial Resistance
  2. Disproportionate Impact on Older Adults
  3. The Need for Urgent Strategies
  4. Towards a Post-Antibiotic Era

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The Silent Crisis of Antimicrobial Resistance



The world is facing a public health crisis that is silently advancing and threatens to reverse decades of medical progress: antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

A study published in the prestigious scientific journal The Lancet estimates that over 39 million people could die in the coming decades due to infections that antibiotics can no longer treat effectively.

This alarming forecast, which covers 204 countries and territories, highlights a significant increase in deaths related to AMR, especially among those over 70 years old.

Antimicrobial resistance is not a new phenomenon, but it has taken on a severity that cannot be ignored.

Since the 1990s, antibiotics that once revolutionized modern medicine have lost effectiveness, largely due to the adaptation of bacteria and the overuse of these medications without following medical guidelines.

AMR occurs when pathogens evolve and become immune to current treatments, making common infections, such as pneumonia or postoperative infections, deadly once again.


Disproportionate Impact on Older Adults



The new study from the Global Research Project on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) has revealed that annual deaths from AMR have risen dramatically, with over a million people dying in 2021 due to resistant infections.

It is estimated that if current trends continue, annual deaths from AMR will grow by 70% by 2050, reaching approximately 1.91 million.

Older adults are the most vulnerable group, with an 80% increase in deaths from resistant infections in this age group between 1990 and 2021, and this figure is expected to double in the coming decades.

The concern is even greater in regions like North Africa and the Middle East, where deaths related to AMR in older individuals are expected to increase by a staggering 234%.

The medical community warns that as the population ages, the threat of resistant infections will increase dramatically, which could severely compromise healthcare in these areas.


The Need for Urgent Strategies



Experts in health, such as Dr. Stein Emil Vollset, have emphasized the urgency of implementing new strategies to mitigate the risk of severe infections. This includes the development of vaccines, new medications, and improving access to existing antibiotics.

Luis Ostrosky, head of infectious diseases at UTHealth Houston, has pointed out that modern medicine relies heavily on antibiotics for routine procedures such as surgeries and transplants.

The growing resistance means that previously treatable infections are spiraling out of control, placing us in "a very dangerous time."

The Lancet report reveals that, without immediate action, this crisis could trigger a global health catastrophe. However, it also identifies interventions that could save up to 92 million lives between 2025 and 2050, highlighting the importance of acting now.


Towards a Post-Antibiotic Era



One of the most concerning findings of the study is the projection that we are entering what is called the post-antibiotic era, a period in which bacterial infections may not respond to current medications.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified antimicrobial resistance as one of the top 10 threats to human health. Infections that were once controlled with antibiotics, such as pneumonia and tuberculosis, could again become common causes of death if new treatments are not developed.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic brought a temporary decrease in deaths from AMR due to disease control measures, experts warn that this decline is only a momentary relief and does not address the underlying issue.

Antimicrobial resistance is a challenge that requires urgent attention and coordinated action to safeguard public health and preserve the medical advances achieved so far.



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